Never think about your dog's mouth? Perhaps you should.

"Many people forget to look in the mouths of their dogs and cats because the lips cover everything," said Kris Bannon, owner of Veterinary Dentistry & Oral Surgery of New Mexico. "Periodontal disease is the most common disease identified in dogs and cats over 3 years of age, and it is preventable."

Ten years ago, Bannon finished veterinary school at Texas A&M and went into general practice. It was then that she discovered a need for dentistry for animals. She went back to school and now not only works on dogs and cats, but has treated ferrets, rabbits and guinea pigs. She's also been called to zoos to treat chimpanzees, llamas and orangutans.

"Many large cats hurt their teeth on the bars of their cages. I've done root canals on tigers and lions," she said. Animal dentistry isn't a well-known specialty and, in fact, there are only 85 veterinary dentists in the world. And she is one of them.

Besides performing root canals, Bannon puts braces on dogs and cats, installs crowns, sets jaw fractures, removes mouth tumors, does gum surgery and fills cavities. "There are a lot of diseases in the mouth, and the overall health shows up in a dog's mouth," she said. "If owners don't brush their dog's teeth, it can lead to infection and weaken the overall system."

Bannon says periodontal disease is a process, starting with inflammation, then infection, pain and damage to the bone — and it's all entirely preventable. She prescribes regular dental cleanings and home care such as tooth brushing. "If a dog has an infection on it's leg, it tends to get treated right away because it is easy to see and the dog might be limping. But with an infection in the mouth, the dogs will still eat. They have to because it's a survival instinct. Mouth disease is not easily visible," she said.

"One out of four dogs has a broken tooth," Bannon said, "but the majority of the work I do is root canal therapy." The cost for canine root canal surgery ranges from $900 to $1,800, and she explains that each tooth has different kinds of roots.

Three years ago, Gary Coon and his wife got a rescue boxer dog that had cracked and missing teeth. They called a dentistry vet in Denver. "He referred us to Dr. Bannon and after two surgeries, Boomer was as good as new," Coon said. "He was a different dog after the gum surgery. I was extremely pleased with the outcome of all this."

Two years ago, Teresa Cremers got Ellie Mae, a 10-year-old border collie that was in such bad condition — with matted hair — that she had the dog shaved. "And her teeth were in such bad shape she couldn't eat. Kris did two rounds of surgery. Since then, Ellie Mae has won four obedience titles. She loves to train and play, and she's such an affectionate family pet," Cremers said.

Bannon said one common problem she sees shows up in poodles, standard and miniature. She calls it a base narrow bite where the lower canines are too narrow and end up puncturing the roof of the mouth. Helen Mayer owns a standard poodle and when Vivienne was 7 months, old she had Bannon fix the dog's lower canines. "She also inserted an orthodontic apparatus like braces for a few weeks. I was elated with Dr. Bannon and so grateful. I will continue to see her for Vivienne's teeth cleaning. She is such a compassionate person and so gentle with animals," Mayer said.

After working in another veterinarian office, Bannon opened her specialty practice this past April. Now she leases space from the Vet Emergency and Specialty Center of Santa Fe. To get the business up and running she estimates she put in $150,000 on equipment and special orthodontic supplies. She already has had several hundred clients. There is one employee who works as her dental assistant, receptionist and office manager.

Her most memorable experience was just recent, Bannon said. "A rescue dog in Albuquerque had been shot in the face. It was a lab mix about 7 months old. Her mouth was damaged and the upper and lower jaws were fusing together. I was called to see if there was another option than putting her to sleep," Bannon said. "I did surgery, and now the puppy is pain free and a happy dog again."

Business name: Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery of NM, LLC

Owner: Kris Bannon, DVM     

Address: 2001 Vivigen Way

Employees: 1

Phone:  505-471-0747

E-mail: toothvet@vetdentistrynm.com

Web site: www.vetdentistrynm.com